Win or lose, Mayweather set for R2.6bn pay day

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Cape Town - As the circus-like countdown continues to Saturday's Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor superfight in Las Vegas, it's become clearer how much each fighter is likely to pocket.

Mayweather, the 40-year-old undefeated former welterweight boxing champion, has been lured out of retirement to face McGregor, 29, a star of mixed martial arts' Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Mayweather and McGregor meet in a 12-round contest - under boxing rules - that is tipped to become the richest fight in history.

The cross-combat collision has appalled boxing purists, with many decrying the event as a farcical publicity stunt more in keeping with the choreographed traditions of WWE wrestling.

While estimates vary, some projections indicate Mayweather, win or lose, could make as much as $200 million (R2.646 billion) from the contest, with McGregor collecting around $100 million (R1.323 billion).

Not bad for a maximum of 36 minutes of actual boxing time!

By way of comparison, golfing superstar Tiger Woods has made $110 million in tournament prize money in his career to date, while Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, tennis' No 1 and 2 all-time money winners, have banked around $110 million and $108 million, respectively.

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